Volunteer Spotlight: Derin Kokuuslu
Derin Kokuuslu first found Culmore Clinic through a Google search in 2022. He had returned home via Richmond, VA after graduating from William & Mary the year prior. He was looking for opportunities to help fill the healthcare gap for underserved people in the area and sure enough, Culmore Clinic popped up! Derin volunteered as a Medical Assistant and Spanish Interpreter until he started medical school in 2023 at the University of Virginia.
Not wanting to stop serving the Culmore Clinic community while he was in Charlottesville, Derin suggested he work remotely to expand Culmore Clinic’s specialist referral network by building partnerships with local medical offices and financial assistance programs. This initiative is priceless as some of our patients still face barriers in accessing specialist physician services.
When we asked Derin what he loves most about volunteering at Culmore Clinic he said, “two things come to mind! One, the patients, and two, the staff and volunteers.” He says he is inspired by the patient population of Culmore Clinic. He has met so many unbelievably hardworking and caring people. Derin says, “the volunteers and staff have my admiration for their commitment to their patients. It is a lovely organization made up of incredible individuals.”
“It is a lovely organization made up of incredible individuals.”
Derin currently lives in Charlottesville with his fiancé Katie (pictured below), a pediatric ICU nurse. While he’s not studying medicine and volunteering with Culmore Clinic he is hiking in the Shenandoah, playing soccer, exploring coffee shops and helping with local health initiatives around Charlottesville.
We are so lucky that Derin decided to do a Google search one day!
